Fact Check: "Only eight convictions for threats against lawmakers were made in 2024."
What We Know
The claim that "only eight convictions for threats against lawmakers were made in 2024" is misleading. According to the US Capitol Police (USCP) Threat Assessment Cases for 2024, the USCP's Threat Assessment Section investigated 9,474 concerning statements and direct threats against Members of Congress, their families, and staff in 2024. This represents a significant increase in threats compared to previous years, indicating a growing concern for the safety of lawmakers during election cycles.
Additionally, a report titled Rising Threats to Public Officials highlights that the number of threats to public officials has been increasing, with a preliminary review of 2023 and 2024 indicating that federal prosecutions for threats are on pace to hit record highs. The report notes that more than 30 individuals were federally charged with threatening a public official since the beginning of 2024 alone. This suggests that the legal response to threats against lawmakers is more extensive than the claim implies.
Analysis
The claim's assertion about the number of convictions is not substantiated by the available data. The USCP report does not specify the number of convictions resulting from the 9,474 investigations, but the sheer volume of threats indicates that law enforcement is actively addressing the issue. The increase in investigations and the mention of ongoing prosecutions, as highlighted in the Rising Threats to Public Officials report, further contradict the claim.
Moreover, the context provided by the USCP indicates that threats against lawmakers are a serious and escalating issue, particularly during election years, which typically see an uptick in such incidents. The report from CBS News corroborates this by stating that the USCP investigated over 9,000 threats in 2024, marking an 83% increase from the previous year. This increasing trend in threats is also reflected in the broader political landscape, as noted in the New York Times and CNN reports, which discuss the normalization of threats and violence against public officials.
The sources used in this analysis are credible, with the USCP being a primary law enforcement agency responsible for the safety of Congress, and the reports from academic and news organizations providing a well-rounded view of the current threat landscape.
Conclusion
Verdict: False. The claim that "only eight convictions for threats against lawmakers were made in 2024" is misleading and does not accurately reflect the reality of the situation. The US Capitol Police investigated nearly 9,500 threats, and there is evidence of ongoing federal prosecutions for threats against public officials. Therefore, the assertion significantly underrepresents the scale of threats and the legal actions being taken in response.
Sources
- USCP Threat Assessment Cases for 2024
- Rising Threats to Public Officials: A Review of 10 Years of Federal Data
- Key Political Violence and Resilience Trends From 2024
- Officials Investigate More Threats of Violence Against Lawmakers
- Threats to lawmakers are rising after Minnesota shootings
- 'We're not safe': US lawmakers demand more be done after threats
- Threats against federal officials surged in 2024, Capitol police report
